NEGRI MB PUZZLED THAT PKR MAN FORGOT HIS EC PASS
It looks like a strategy, says Mohamad
MENTERI Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan, who won the Rantau state seat unopposed, has questioned the circumstances behind the failure of his would-be opponent to get himself nominated on Saturday.
Mohamad asked whether it was a strategy of PKR candidate Dr S. Streram to fail to take his candidate pass with him on nomination day.
“Thousands of candidates went to nomination centres (nationwide) on that day, carrying their EC (Election Commission) passes.
“Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took their passes.
“I am puzzled how he (Dr Streram) and his proposer and seconder had failed to bring the passes?
“What were they thinking? To me, it looks like a strategy.
“Perhaps, he knew that he would not get the support of the people in Rantau, and resorted to such a strategy.
“The pictures and videos of the incident were quick to make the rounds on social media, with many people expressing their anger and dissatisfaction at me.
“I believe the opposition could have played a role.”
PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli was quick to accuse Mohamad and BN Rembau candidate Khairy Jamaluddin of conspiring with EC to not allow Dr Streram’s entry into the nomination centre.
Khairy had said he would take legal action against Rafizi.
However, Mohamad said he would not do so as he had “no time” for the PKR man.
“Khairy has lodged a police report and I believe it is more than enough to show that we have nothing to do with this.
“There’s no use entertaining budak-budak (children).”
Mohamad said he was dissatisfied upon learning that he won the seat uncontested following Dr Streram’s failure to submit his nomination papers.
In Petaling Jaya, Dr Streram said he submitted a letter to EC yesterday demanding an explanation as to why he had been refused entry and to “correct the mistake” made by the returning officer in Rantau, adding that he felt “sabotaged”.
“The people in the (Rantau) constituency had been robbed of their right to choose their elected representative.
“I ask for my rights to contest and the people’s rights to choose.”
Dr Streram’s lawyer, Haniff Khatri Abdulla, said if EC failed to give a full explanation, his team would take the matter to court.
He said the EC candidate pass should not be an issue as it was not a requirement but more of a procedure.
“The pass is just a procedural requirement.
“Procedures cannot override law and the law cannot override the Constitution,” he said.